Villefranche Cruise Port (Port de la Santé)
Villefranche Cruise Port (Port de la Santé) serves as a gateway to the French Riviera, including Villefranche-sur-Mer, a medieval village with pastel buildings and sloping streets. The port also makes a strategic jumping-off point for trips to glamorous Cote d’Azur resort towns, including Nice, Cannes, and Monaco, as well as the enchanting villages of Provence.
The Basics
Travelers docking at Villefranche Cruise Port are spoiled for choice with half- and full-day shore excursions—venture to nearby Nice, Monte Carlo in Monaco, attraction-packed Antibes, chic Cannes, or luxe St. Tropez. Alternatively, head to off-the-beaten-path villages such as Eze, St Paul de Vence, or Valbonne. Some shore excursions include food and wine tastings, private yacht cruises, sports-car driving experiences, and the opportunity to cross the border to tour the Italian Riviera.
Things to Know Before You Go
The approach to Villefranche Cruise Port is worth staying (or waking) up for.
Villefranche Cruise Port offers a small passenger terminal with tourist information.
Villefrance is a tender cruise port, so expect to be taken ashore by smaller boats (tenders).
Many Villefranche shore excursions include pickup and drop-off at the Villefranche Cruise Port and most last between four and eight hours.
Opt for a private tour to ensure you get to see all the sights you want.
How to Get to Nice From the Villefranche Cruise Port
Although many passengers choose to stay in village of Villefranche, most travel to nearby Nice. Regional TER trains connect Villefranche to Nice and the station is a 10-minute walk from the port. There are also regular buses connecting Villefranche and Nice, including the number 100 which also stops in Eze and Monaco. Be sure to build in enough time to return to port because these buses fill up during the busy summer months.
Port Information
Villefranche is a tender port. Large cruise ships anchor in the harbor and transport passengers to a small terminal in the heart of town via smaller vessels, known as tenders. French is the official language of Villefranche, although English is fairly common, and the euro is the official currency.
Trip ideas
- Things to do in French Riviera
- Things to do in Monte-Carlo
- Things to do in Cannes
- Things to do in Toulon
- Things to do in Langhe-Roero and Monferrato
- Things to do in Aix-en-Provence
- Things to do in Genoa
- Things to do in Turin
- Things to do in Marseille
- Things to do in Marignane
- Things to do in Avignon
- Things to do in Arles
- Things to do in Nîmes
- Things to do in Piedmont & Liguria
- Things to do in Provence
- Mt. Boron (Mont Boron)
- Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild
- Villa Kerylos
- Quai Lunel
- Place Garibaldi
- Castle Hill (Colline du Château)
- Cours Saleya Flower Market (Marché aux Fleurs Cours Saleya)
- Quai des États-Unis
- Molinard Perfumery (Maison Molinard)
- Cote d’Azur Observatory (Observatoire de la Cote d’Azur)
- Massena Square (Place Masséna)
- Cimiez Monastery (Monastere de Cimiez)
- Marc Chagall National Museum (Musée National Marc Chagall)
- Matisse Museum (Musée Matisse)
- Massena Art & History Museum (Musée Masséna)